Thursday, March 28, 2013

No Pressure

Welcome to the Breastfeeding Support Blog Party! Bloggers around the world have gathered together to share posts which provide current or soon-to-be breastfeeding mothers with a wealth of well-researched information, personal stories, and statistics designed to help you have the most successful breastfeeding experience possible. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to learn more about this movement as well as to link to and read more informative breastfeeding support posts.

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I really like the ideas behind child led introduction to solids. I give Spencer some of whatever we're eating. He may or may not manage to chew and swallow much, that depends on what we have and how much he likes it. This gives me another reason to appreciate child led weaning. Some days, especially if Spencer naps through a mealtime, he doesn't get offered much food. Since Spencer is still getting most of his nutrition from breastmilk, I'm not pressured to worry over what, how much, and in what balance of food he actually ingests. I know Spencer is getting what he needs, regardless of what and how much he eats.

Sasha loves cantaloupe! (at 7mo and still at 3½yo)
Spencer just tried cantaloupe last night, wish I'd taken pics!

When Spencer has been sick, breastmilk is the easiest thing to keep down. It is nutrition and hydration, all in one. It can't be beat! I once asked a doctor if I needed to give my sick baby a pediatric electrolyte drink. He said that it couldn't beat breastmilk and to just keep doing what I was doing!

Spencer, waiting to see the Endocrinologist

The comfort of child led weaning is also important to me. Spencer has several extra medical appointments for health problems. Sometimes the procedures are unpleasant or Spencer just doesn't like people messing with him. I always have the most comfort-providing activity / comfort food available to him. Sometimes I even nurse him while a doctor checks him. It keeps him still and content. Nothing else would be as soothing, not even being held by me.

I am so thankful that I've been able to nurse all of my children. I am thankful for their health. And I am thankful for the bond provided by nursing my babies.

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This gathering of breastfeeding support comes in response to the Weston A. Price Foundation’s (WAPF) continued stance on breastfeeding, with which we all have great concern. While the WAPF does support breastfeeding as the best option for feeding babies, it does so with a caveat. Breastfeeding mothers must follow the strict tenants of the WAPF diet and mothers who are not following their nutrient dense diet recommendations would be better off feeding their babies homemade formula (based on the WAPF recipe). In addition, they are outspoken against using donor milk.

The bloggers sharing posts today are concerned with the confusion this may cause breastfeeding mothers. Not only does research support the myriad of health benefits of breast milk for babies regardless of the mother’s diet, it also outlines additional benefits of breastfeeding such as better bonding, deeper trust, and a long list of other emotional benefits. Let’s not forget the health benefits for moms!

We will have a complete list of all the blog posts published today (as part of this Blog Party) in a separate post on Sunday, March 31st. We welcome you to join this blog party by linking up your own new and previously published posts which focus on any positive aspect of breastfeeding and breast milk. Please enter using the Linky Tool which can be found at Hybrid Rasta Mama, Cooking Traditional Foods, Whole New Mom, Alternative Parenting, or African Babies Don’t Cry. (All links will be subject to moderation. Any link not following the spirit of the Blog Party will be removed.)